Hunt underway for city's 'lost' graves in Ballarat New Cemetery

Crews are scheduled finish survey works on open spaces this weekend to determine where people are buried so Ballarat Cemeteries can better understand grave sites and land available for future use.

Ballarat Cemeteries chief executive officer Annie De Jong said it was an exciting project that could also help offer some closure to descendants.

Ms De Jong said little was known about the people in the unmarked graves, aside from a list of names, or exactly why the likely locations had been left undefined. She said this non-invasive and ethical survey process was a chance to offer more respect.

"Some of these graves are more than 100 years old. It would be really nice to know exactly where they are so we can appropriately and respectfully acknowledge them," Ms De Jong said.

"There are areas we know have graves but we just don't know where; some have headstones and some don't...We've left them as open spaces and there are some trees in places."

Ballarat New Cemetery was gazetted in 1867 and is only 11 years younger than Ballarat Old Cemetery, off Macarthur Street.

Ms De Jong said the 'new' in the name could often be misleading as to all the history in the cemetery.

Survey works have been funded by the Victorian Health Department and Ms De Jong said Ballarat Cemeteries would inform the community of findings once results were determined.

This process could take months.

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Survey works use technology to understand movement in different levels of dirt to determine where the ground has been disrupted and likely graves might lie.

Results will be analysed then delivered to Ballarat Cemeteries.

Ms De Jong said results would help guide Ballarat Cemeteries' 80-year master plan, particularly in understanding what land might be available.

She said the key focus for the plan was on sustainability and remaining sympathetic to the environment.

Ballarat New Cemetery features low-maintenance gardens and rockeries, like the bird song walk, and caters for a growing shift towards natural burials in bush-like areas.

There is enough estimated space in Ballarat New Cemetery for the next 70 to 80 years with the city's growing population.

Ms De Jong said anyone with questions about the survey process, or about a family member who might be in an unmarked grave, is urged to call Ballarat Cemeteries on 5332 1469.

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